“Congress must pass the Protect and Serve Act right away and boldly say that there is no escape from justice for dangerous criminals who intentionally assault and kill our hardworking, dedicated law enforcement officers.”
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Yesterday, U.S. Senator Thom Tillis (R-NC) spoke on the Senate floor urging Congress to pass the Protect and Serve Act, legislation he recently reintroduced that would create federal penalties for individuals who deliberately target local, state, or federal law enforcement officers with violence.
The Protect and Serve Act has been endorsed by the Fraternal Order of Police, National Association of Police Organizations, Sergeants Benevolent Association (NYPD), Federal Law Enforcement Officers Association, National Sheriffs Association, North Carolina Association of Chiefs of Police, Major Cities Chiefs Association, and the Major County Sheriffs Association.
Watch Senator Tillis’ floor speech HERE.
TRANSCRIPT
Madam President, I rise today in support of the brave, hardworking men and women who serve as law enforcement officers in our communities across the nation. Men and women in law enforcement risk life and limb every day to protect public safety and preserve the rule of law. They truly are American heroes. In recognition of their remarkable service and sacrifice, I'm reintroducing to Protect and Serve Act. And I hope every Senator agrees that we must do everything we can to support the men and women in blue.
I also call on my colleagues to support this commonsense legislation. It's my hope that this legislation will unite us on a bipartisan basis to support those heroes who keep us safe. I can think of no better example of why we need this legislation than the events of January 6th right here in this chamber and across the capital.
While ruthless, anarchist mobs sought to disrupt and destroy our democracy, the Capitol Police bravely kept us safe from harm while they were being viciously attacked by the violent mob. And many of my colleagues saw this firsthand as they were safely getting us to a position while the events unfolded that day. Because this attack occurred in D.C. though, there are only limited laws in place to prosecute those who would assault a law enforcement officer.
Under current law, a criminal who assaults a law enforcement officer with deadly weapons or inflicts bodily injury could receive anywhere from a fine to 20 years in prison. Under the Protect and Serve Act these violent criminals will receive an additional 10 years in prison if they assault an officer. And if they murder or kidnap a law enforcement officer, they could be given a life sentence.
This would apply not only to federal law enforcement and federal properties but could also be used to prosecute criminals at the state and local level who target law enforcement officers. This federal law would ensure that prosecutors have every tool available to punish those who attack the men and women in blue. Nationwide in 2020, 47 law enforcement officers were killed in the line of duty and over 300 were shot.
Three of those murdered officers were right in my home state of North Carolina. So far, in 2021, 14 officers have been killed in the line of duty, and over 50 have been shot and countless others have been assaulted. 2020 saw the rise of radical ideas like abolishing the police, which fuels distrust and disdain for our brave men and women in blue. Even while Americans of all views are calling for transparency and accountability, the ideas of abolishing and defunding the police only serve to deepen the divides in our country and our communities. It's sad that Congress even needs to consider a bill to protect law enforcement officers. The heated rhetoric and the violent attack on officers are having real-world impacts beyond just the safety of our law enforcement community.
Across the country, recruitments are down and retirements are up. We have cities having to increase funding for recruiting and finding people that will replace those who have left the profession or retired early. This is sad but it's not surprising.
Law enforcement officers put their life at risk every single day. They leave their spouses and family every morning and they don't know if they're going to come back. In 2018 before the anti-police rhetoric took hold, the House passed the legislation by an overwhelming vote of 382 to 35, the bill that I'm reintroducing, including 220 Republicans and 162 Democrats.
On the floor, every current member of the House Democratic leadership voted in favor of this legislation including Speaker Pelosi. This has been bipartisan legislation and it should be bipartisan legislation today, which is why I call on all my colleagues, members of the Republican and Democratic caucus to join us in support of this commonsense and needed legislation. Congress must pass the Protect and Serve Act right away and boldly say that there is no escape from justice for dangerous criminals who intentionally assault and kill our hardworking, dedicated law enforcement officers. I urge the American people to call your Senators, ask them to support the measure, tell them that you want this bill passed and our law enforcement officers protected.
Don't be silent. Help me fight for the men and women in blue because they're counting on us, and along the way, when you see a law enforcement officer, thank them for their service and let them know members of Congress are fighting for them. Thank you, Madam President.
###
